


King of the Arctic

by citrusfae



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD, Fantasy, No Smut, POV Lesbian Character, Princes & Princesses, technoblade loves lesbians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:48:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28719933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citrusfae/pseuds/citrusfae
Summary: You're a princess being forced to marry a man you've never met: King Technoblade.The thing Technoblade doesn't know is: you're a lesbian.Just wait until he finds out how you feel about Niki...This fic is basically just wholesome Technoblade as your best friend content (with a ton of added lore)!
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade - Relationship, Niki | Nihachu/Reader
Comments: 13
Kudos: 60





	1. Doom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not future. Doom is the word for it, really. You never really wanted to get married, even when you were a child. Your freedom was more important to you. The feeling of running around in a field of flowers or the thought of going to the market and seeing the bustle of traders is more exciting to you than the idea of getting married to some man.
> 
> Especially when that man is King Technoblade.

Today’s the day.

You take one last look around your room, laughing to yourself as you stand there. You always thought of the castle as a prison, but now you would give anything to stay here safe within its walls.

Anger flares in your chest as you think about what your parents are making you do. They kept you in the castle, alone, your whole life, and for what? To send you into a world that you know nothing about? To force you to marry a man you don’t know? You sigh and pick up your trunk, walking out into the hallway.

A servant sees you carrying your trunk and whisks it away without a word. You panic a little at that. You may not have many important possessions, but that made the ones you had all the more precious. Plus, you don’t think your parents would be too thrilled to see the contents of your suitcase. Why did the servants always have to meddle? Why couldn’t you live your own life for once?

You head to the carriage where your parents are waiting; they seem a bit ticked off that they had to wait for you, but you don’t care. Why should you? They clearly didn’t ask your opinion on their plans.

The ride starts. Your parents try to make small talk about your fiancee-to-be, but quite honestly you’re not in the mood to talk. You can’t help but feel betrayed, even now. You tell them you’re feeling sick and turn to face the window, leaving you with nothing to do but think about your imminent future.

Not future. Doom is the word for it, really. You never really wanted to get married, even when you were a child. Your freedom was more important to you. The feeling of running around in a field of flowers or the thought of going to the market and seeing the bustle of traders is more exciting to you than the idea of getting married to some man.

Especially when that man is King Technoblade.

Although you rarely left the castle and father never saw it fit to involve you in your country’s affairs, you know a good amount about the royal families in the other kingdoms. Occasionally, travelers would come by the castle, either to trade goods or favors with your father. Every time one came, you would ask for news of the outside world. Any news was good news, as you yearned to know what life was like for the people who were actually living it. Your favorite, however, was the news of the other royalty. You daydreamed about the other royalty often, wondering how you would get along with them and what they had to tell you about life.

Technoblade, however, had always been an enigma. Travelers rarely spoke of him, and when they did they spoke of fear and war. He was a vigilante, and a dangerous one at that. Nicknamed “The Blood God” by his soldiers and "The Blade" by his allies, he was unstoppable on the battlefield. He had been the instigator of the largest battle the kingdoms had ever seen. Against all odds, Technoblade had beat the Dream kingdom, the most powerful in the land. It was said that there were very few casualties on Technoblade’s side. Perhaps strangest of all, Technoblade fought alongside his men, not as a commander, but a fellow soldier. And when the time came, he singlehandedly battled Dream for days on end and forced him, sword at throat, to surrender.

The travelers could usually tell you personal stories about the kings, but none of them had ever had much contact with Technoblade. The ones who had said very little of him, only that he was cold and determined. One called him as cold as the Arctic Empire he watched over. He struck fear into the hearts of many of them, and even those who were not scared of him usually avoided working with him.

Nervous whispers started among the servants as soon as the betrothal was announced. Years ago you would have asked them their opinions, but you knew better than to get close to any servants now.

From what you've heard, your future sounds bleak. The servants spread all kinds of rumors, each more terrifying than the next. Some say that he had enslaved all his citizens, while others insist that he has a dungeon full of prisoners of war that he tortures whenever he sees fit.

Cold air hits your shoulders and pulls you out of your thoughts. You must be near Technoblade’s kingdom, the Artic Empire. The thought isn’t exactly comforting; despite the your relationship with your parents and how much you hate staying locked away in the castle, you don’t want to leave everything you know behind. You reach into your trunk pocket absentmindedly to get your shawl, draping it over your shoulders. Your parents suddenly freeze, looking at you in confusion.

“What?” you ask tentatively.

“Is that… your cousin’s shawl?” You freeze. Your mother’s tone is colder than the air swirling around you. You wrap the shawl a bit tighter, not that it will help. You curse yourself. Were you really so stupid that you mixed up her shawl and yours? How did they even notice? The two are almost identical, and hers hasn’t been seen in years.

“Oh, wow, I guess that is El--” your mother cuts you off with a stern look.

“Don’t speak her name.”

You feel a lump forming in your throat. You knew your cousin left the castle on bad terms, but did they really still hate her that much? You swallow and feign a smile.

“Sorry, I forgot. You know, my head’s been… elsewhere.” You force a laugh and motion in the direction of the castle. “Hers and mine must have gotten mixed up. I mean, they look so similar! One of the servants probably saw hers in the attic and mistook it for mine.” You clutch the shawl tightly to stop your hands from shaking. Quickly, you force yourself to add on: “You know how they are.” You roll your eyes and turn back towards the window, watching how your parents react out of the corner of your eye. Your mother gives you a dubious look, but your father nods his head and put his arm on your mother’s lap. She sighs and looks out the window as well.

The rest of the ride is spent in tense silence. You wonder if somewhere, deep down, they are thinking about how they will miss you. It’s not as if you spent a lot of time together in the first place, but they are still your parents. Memories swirl around your head, attacking you. Things you tried so desperately to forget come flooding back, this time with a bit of fondness.

And, faster than you anticipated, you are at the Arctic Empire’s castle walls. The castle is strange; it is made out of wood and stone and is, quite frankly, a lot smaller than you were expecting. The castle isn’t even surrounded by walls or a moat. It could almost be mistaken for a regular, albeit very large, house.

You step out of the carriage, grabbing your trunk. You gawk at the castle. This is it, your new home. You hear someone clearing their throat behind you and then feel your shawl come off your shoulders. You shiver, but do not protest as your mother shoves the shawl back into your trunk.

You look at your parents for reassurance. They smile tensely at you, your father raising his arms for you and your mother. You take a deep breath, place your hand on his arm, and step forward towards the castle; towards your doom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everyone!!! i am so so excited to finally be able to write this for you all, I've been thinking about it for so long and i finally got the time to sit down and write. i'm super proud of this one, so i hope you all like it! i promise i won't abandon it like i did my first fic, i planned it out this time in advance.
> 
> oh and let me tell you, there is some EXTREMELY COOL LORE in here. or at least, exciting to me.
> 
> oh, and last but certainly not least, please let me know what you think! i'm currently wondering if i should stick with this y/n format or edit what i have to be a third person character instead. do you guys like the self insert aspect or does it feel too specific with all this lore? also, when i mention the MC's name, do you guys prefer i give them a name, fill in "y/n", or just avoid mention of y/n altogether? i honestly think y/n looks a bit cheap, especially in a complicated story like this, but let me know your thoughts (before it's too late and i can't start over!) i will definitely take them into consideration as i keep writing!
> 
> thank you SO MUCH for reading, this is truly a passion project lmao. just hoping there's some decent demand!


	2. Voices of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I suppose this is the first time we are properly meeting,” Technoblade says. You turn to him and give him a halfhearted smile.
> 
> “I suppose so.”

Your parents follow your lead as you walk into the castle. The inside is even stranger than the outside: you are met with a mess of rooms and ladders. You stop, unsure of where to go. You’re surprised that you aren’t being greeted by a servant, but you guess they must be busy with whatever’s in all these rooms. You shudder, thinking of all the supposed hostages in his house.

You’re snapped out of your thoughts by the sound of a door opening. You turn and try to locate the origin of the sounds, but that’s a bit difficult when there’s so many of them. You break away from your parents, looking around.

You turn to your right, annoyed at the lack of help from Technoblade, and suddenly, there he was. You had come face to face with Technoblade.

He is, honestly, a bit less intimidating than you thought he’d be. His pink hair flows all the way down to his hips, where a sword is resting casually. He was tall, but not as muscular as you thought he would be. His ornate outfit and cape make you feel a bit underdressed in your rather plain gown, although it is the nicest one you own. You’re starting to see why this was such an advantageous marriage for your family.

Technoblade walks up to you first. He takes your hand and bows to you, and you manage a stiff curtsy. He gives you a smile and walks over to your parents. They fawn all over him, undoubtedly trying to make a good impression to make up for yours.

That’s when you realize that the worst of the rumors are true. You look back over at him, horrified. It was always said that he had fangs on his bottom teeth surgically implanted so that he could feast on the bodies of his enemies. You never gave that one much thought, it was ridiculous. But there was no mistaking it, there were two long teeth sticking out of his smile.

You turn to your parents, but they are not where you left them. Instead, they’re walking towards the exit of the castle. You can’t help but feel a pang of sadness as you watch them walk out. They see you staring and your father gives you one last wave. “Goodbye my daughter!” He calls with a jovial wave of his hand. You manage a smile and watch them. Not even a real goodbye, of course. Why had you expected any different?

That leaves you alone with Technoblade. You play with the hem of your dress, getting increasingly nervous. Where are the servants? Why are you two so completely alone?

"I suppose this is the first time we are properly meeting,” Technoblade says. You turn to him and give him a halfhearted smile.

“I suppose so.”

“I’m Technoblade, but, eh, friends call me Techno.” You almost laugh. Did he just say friends? I guess that’s what you have to be.

You give him a halfhearted introduction, as you would to any coworker. An awkward silence falls. You sigh and decide to break it.

“So, interesting place you have.” He smiles, looking around.

“You like it?”

“It’s… different than what I’m used to, for sure.”

“Oh.” More awkward silence. God, why can’t he keep a conversation?

“Well, I can, uh, show you to your room so you can put your stuff away,” he says. You nod and you both start walking down a corridor. How are you ever going to figure out how to get around here? “I, eh, have some clothes I ordered in the closet. I figured you probably didn’t have clothes for cold weather.” You arrive at the room and Technoblade opens the door. It’s actually quite big. “And, uh, let me know if you need anything. I don’t know if the clothes or the room will be… quite your taste.” You mumble a thanks and walk into the room, placing your trunk on the bed as Techno closes the door behind him.

You lay down on the bed, surveying the room. The room is made of stone bricks and has dark wooden furniture scattered around haphazardly. This is going to need some serious reorganizing. You hate to admit it, but the room was actually pretty nice.

You get up and walk over to the wardrobe to see what he put in there for you. You open it to see gowns, shoes, and shawls, as well as some more casual clothing in the back. They’re all rather neutral colors, some a nice shade of blue like Technoblade’s. Nothing objectionable. In fact, they’re rather pretty. Is that gold on the collar of one of them?

You go back over to your trunk and start to put your things away. You hadn’t brought much: a few dresses and shawls you loved, some of your more interesting possessions you had acquired from the traders, and things of that nature. There’s an old string bracelet at the bottom of your suitcase. You look at it fondly and think of the bittersweet memories attached to it.

________________________________________________________________________

You’re sitting on your bed, waiting. You smooth out your dress as you sit, straining your ears to listen for footsteps in the hallway.

Suddenly, you hear the door open. You turn to face the door and a head pops in.

“You ready?” the voice says. You smile mischievously and nod.

“Absolutely.”

The girl motions for you to follow her and you jump up out of bed, racing behind her. You can’t help but giggle as you run down the halls of the castle and towards the servants' quarters. You both make a beeline for the door and, once you’re safely inside, explode into laughter. You grab onto the girl for support as you collapse into laughter.

A woman walks up to the two of you and shakes her head in mock disapproval. “Someone’s tired of the castle huh?” she says. You nod and smile.

“Right you are Miss Derr,” you say. She shakes her head again and hugs your shoulder. She turns to her daughter.

“And don’t go getting into trouble, okay Cecilia?” The girl rolls her eyes and reassures her mother.

“Don’t worry, I’m not planning on it. Gotta keep the princess safe.” You blush as she looks over at you, pride in her eyes. Her mother leaves the two of you alone, and you promptly slip out the back door.

“So where are we going, princess?” Cecilia asks you. You don’t know why you let her call you that. Usually you hate being called simply ‘princess,’ but when she says it you feel butterflies in your stomach.

“Actually, I want to take you somewhere today.” She looks at you in surprise.

“And where’s that?” You put a finger over your lips and she laughs. “Alright, fine.”

The two of you walk around the castle and enter a large fenced area. You open the gate and hold the door for Cecilia. She gasps as she enters.

“This is beautiful.” You smile as you look at her face light up.

“I thought you’d like it.”

The garden is beautiful. There are flowers everywhere: on the ground, snaking up the fences, and even above your head. You smile as you watch Cecilia take it all in.

“I do. This is beautiful. Thank you.” She turns and, much to your surprise, plants a kiss on your cheek. You take a second to collect yourself, but once you do you grab her hand and squeeze.

The two of you sit down on the grass under a tree. She lays down, placing her head in your lap. You caress her hair absentmindedly. “Hey Cecilia?” you say.

“Yeah?”

“I have something to give to you.” She sits up and smiles, excited. “It’s not much, I’m sorry, but you know, my parents,” you explain as you reach into your pouch. She grabs your free hand with both of hers.

“You never have to give me anything special. You are enough.” Your face gets flushed as you look back up at her, smiling at you with kind eyes. You take a deep breath and look down at the string bracelets in your hand. You stole the thread from the seamstress last time she fixed your dress, knowing you would need it for something like this.

“Cecilia… will you be mine?” you ask, presenting her with the bracelet. You see her eyes light up and tears start to form. “I know we can’t be together and I know that the future doesn’t look good for us, but you and I feel the same and I want nothing more than to hold you in my arms. Will you, for now at least, be mine?” She’s grinning wildly now. She nods her head and gives you her hand. You slide the bracelet on, not letting go of her hand afterward. You smile and show her your matching bracelet. She smiles and puts her hand on your shoulder.

You two look at each other, both blushing. You lean in, ready to finally, after 17 years, kiss Cecilia.

Then, you hear footsteps. You have just enough time to pull away from her embrace before the guards come bursting in. It takes only one look at the guard’s faces when they see Cecilia standing in the garden to know that she is in deep trouble.

“What are you doing out here? This is the royal garden, not the servant’s quarters,” one of the guards barks. You start sputtering excuses, saying that you had wanted to show her the garden and it was all your fault. You cry out as a guard grabs Cecilia’s arm and pulls her away.

“Hey! You don’t have to pull her like that,” you yell. The guard gives you a stern look.

“This is none of your business.”

And just like that, Cecilia was gone. You were left standing alone in the garden as you felt your heart shatter into pieces.

________________________________________________________________________

You hear a knock on the door, snapping you out of your thoughts. You open the door to find Technoblade standing there.

“I’m going to the market to get food, do you want to come with me? I can show you around the kingdom,” he says. You look at him warily, then look around the room. You have to admit, seeing the kingdom excites you. You look back at Technoblade and nod.

“Why not?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BACKSTORY TIME BABY! personally i think the guards are a bit overdramatic, but, y'know, princess life i guess. i'm about to make this hella angsty for no good reason so buckle up!
> 
> thank you again for all the nice comments and advice! i am obviously keeping this in self-insert format and just kinda avoiding names. i'll probably delete that part of the author's notes soon but just letting y'all who left comments last chapter know!


	3. Fate Collides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s nice, isn’t it? Full of life,” Technoblade says, his voice strangely unreadable. You nod. The closer you get, the less you think about trying to understand the man sitting next to you and the more excited you get about visiting the market. You’ve been dreaming of seeing a market again since the last time you snuck out, and this market was bustling with activity.
> 
> However, you were not anticipating the crowd that was slowly gathering around your carriage. You look out, both excited and, admittedly, a bit overwhelmed. You turn to Technoblade, trying to follow his lead. He seems to notice your hesitance and, after stopping the carriage completely, turns to you.
> 
> “You alright?” You do not answer and look down at your fidgeting hands. “Just follow my lead, alright? They’re just excited to meet the new queen.”

You and Technoblade sit silently in the carriage. You shiver a bit as you stare at the snowy mountains. This is about as far from your homeland as you can get: everything is different here. 

You shift your focus to Technoblade. You watch him stare out the window casually, giving you as much room as possible in the rather small carriage. You study him a bit more. This is the closest you’ve been to him.

You first notice all the ornate, tiny braids in his hair and can’t help but admire the work of whoever made them. Everything about Technoblade is ornate, you decide, from the small bands of gold on his clothes to the perfection in the polish of his shoes. He looks calm, a small smirk on his lips and his hands resting on the side of the window he is gazing out of.

You decide now is the perfect time to strike up some conversation with the man. After all, you are all alone in this carriage and you really can’t take any more silence today. Plus, you’ve been biting your tongue all afternoon: you have so many questions about the Arctic Empire.

“So, do you... go to the market often?” you ask with hesitation. Technoblade looks at you, almost as if he was surprised by the sound of your voice.

“Uh, yeah. I go almost every week,” he explains, pushing up his glasses.

“Wow, every week?” you say without thought.

“Well, I like to cook, so… I need a lot of ingredients,” he says, as if justifying his market visits. You let out a laugh without thinking. He looks confused, and you shake your head and explain.

“I didn’t mean it like that. My parents would only go to the market on special occasions; usually, they just got everything from traders that came to the castle. And I was never allowed to go to the market! Oh my goodness, they would kill me if they ever saw me outside the castle walls…” you say, starting to get lost in the memories of sneaking out. The sound of Technoblade’s voice snaps you back to reality.

“Really? My parents and I used to go together. I learned to cook from them,” he offers, looking right at you. You realize that this is the first time you two have made eye contact. Despite yourself, you feel a smile grow on your face.

“Wow,” you mumble, still in disbelief. “My parents always told me that was servants’ work.” You give him a half-hearted smile as you sigh, thinking again of Cecilia.

“I don’t exactly have any servants to get things for me. That’s why you’re here,” he says, smiling and turning his attention to the horses pulling the carriage. This is the closest thing you’ve seen to a smile from the rather monotone king, and it definitely makes him less intimidating. Maybe that’s why you feel brave enough to ask your next question.

“About that… why don’t you have any servants?” He chuckles a bit, as if it never occurred to him that his lack of servants was something you would be curious about. He looks back at you and you see his face tighten a bit as he sees the fear seeping through into your expression.

“Relax, it's nothing crazy. I… just like being alone, I guess.” He turns to face you, propping his arm on his knee. “It also didn’t seem right, you know?” He looks you right in the eyes, which makes you squirm a bit. He takes note of this and looks away. “I mean, having people serve me. I can do things for myself. It’s…” he pauses, searching for the right word. You can practically see the gears turning in his head.

“Demeaning,” you say. He looks at you and smiles.

“Yeah, demeaning.” You swallow and look away. You feel his eyes on you for a bit longer, studying you. Is he trying to figure you out? You make your face a blank slate and turn sideways, and you hear him resume his former sitting position.

You two are silent until you see the market on the horizon and involuntarily let out a little gasp. You blush a bit and cover your mouth.

“It’s nice, isn’t it? Full of life,” Technoblade says, his voice strangely unreadable. You nod. The closer you get, the less you think about trying to understand the man sitting next to you and the more excited you get about visiting the market. You’ve been dreaming of seeing a market again since the last time you snuck out, and this market was bustling with activity.

However, you were not anticipating the crowd that was slowly gathering around your carriage. You look out, both excited and, admittedly, a bit overwhelmed. You turn to Technoblade, trying to follow his lead. He seems to notice your hesitance and, after stopping the carriage completely, turns to you.

“You alright?” You do not answer and look down at your fidgeting hands. “Just follow my lead, alright? They’re just a little excited to see the new queen.” You begin sweating. You had never really thought about it that way. You, Queen of the Arctic Empire? You look back up at Technoblade and your head starts swimming once again. He frowns and hesitantly moves his hand towards your shoulder. You let him give you a reassuring touch on the shoulder: somehow, it grounds you. “Just stick next to me. They’re not going to hurt you,” he says. You nod and grab his arm for support as you stand up.

Technoblade holds the carriage door for you as you step out into the marketplace. You notice a small group of children move their way up to the front of the crowd, and you can’t help but wave at them. They squeal and run back into the crowd. You smile and look around. The citizens of the kingdom are dressed much like Technoblade, covered in furs and blue fabrics. Technoblade walks up behind you and gives the crowd a smile.

He introduces you as their new queen, and the crowd all cheers a hearty “welcome!” before returning to their stalls. You look up at Technoblade quizzically.

“They’re leaving just like that?” you ask. He shrugs. “They know we’ll be around.”

You follow Technoblade wordlessly to a booth selling fruits and vegetables.

“Hello Your Majesty,” the seller says. He turns to you and manages an awkward half-bow. You blush a little and greet him. Technoblade picks a selection of fruits and puts them in his basket. He pays the seller and you look around, taking in the beauty of the market.

“Any booths catch your attention?” he asks you as he finishes his deal. You look around the market, your eyes finding a booth filled with flowers and herbs. Your eye travels right to a cutting of buttercups. You look down at the bracelet on your wrist.

Buttercups had always been Cecilia’s favorites. You had begged your parents to add them into the garden when you found out, hoping someday you would get to show her. You smile as you think of the look on her face as she walked into the garden, her eyes going right to the buttercups next to the large tree.

Technoblade puts his hand on your shoulder again, pulling you out of the memories. You jump a little and he quickly pulls his hand off of you. You fidget with the bracelet, smiling.

“In my kingdom, there wasn’t snow like there is here. We had this huge royal garden filled with flowers and vines. I used to wander around out there for hours. I remember when I was younger, I forced my parents to plant an entire field of buttercups.” You can’t help it, tears spring to your eyes as you let out a dry laugh. Technoblade watches you, seemingly deep in thought. Embarrassed, you act as if you have something in your eye. 

“Alright, say no more.” Much to your surprise, he grabs your arm and pulls you over to the booth you were staring so longingly at. “Hello, do you think I could get some buttercups for the lady?” he says smoothly. The woman nods.

“Anything for the queen. It’s on me, Your Majesty,” she says, nodding at you. You blush. Technoblade shakes his head.

“Now remember, I said no special treatment here.” He hands her payment, and her eyes bulge.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, you are so kind.” Your eyebrows raise. That was definitely more money than a few flowers were worth, especially buttercups. Was the most feared man you knew of really giving handouts to his citizens?

Technoblade hands you the bouquet of buttercups he just bought. You smile at him.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everyone! i'm so sorry for the lapse in this story, a bunch of shit went down and i went back to school and honestly, i had more important stuff to do than try and finish this. updates might be more frequent, but they also might not LMAO. this is a bit of a filler, sorry! it's v wholesome though :) i promise the next few chapters are gonna be epic. that's all, see ya around.


	4. A New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Is it true that you fought Dream singlehandedly; until he surrendered?” You see Technoblade tense up at the mention of the duel.
> 
> “Yes, I did.”
> 
> A long silence falls. You’re tired of being a dainty little princess who never stands up for anything, and you’re tired of watching the people you love get destroyed and ripped away from you.
> 
> You are no longer afraid of the king. No, what you feel is more like… anger.

You are adjusting to your new life pretty well.

However, that doesn’t take away the wariness you have of Technoblade. Sure, he was kind to the shopkeepers and bought you a bouquet as a truce, but the man was still terrifying. Images of the battle between King Dream and Technoblade flashed through your head as you laid awake at night, consumed by the overwhelming silence of the strange castle. You spent most of your time reorganizing and planning the decoration of your room, as well as roaming the castle grounds.

Every day you get a bit braver. You and Technoblade eat meals together, consumed mostly by silence. Technoblade isn’t a huge talker, and what is there to talk about when you spend all day sitting in a room alone? Every day you ask bolder questions, and you would get more answers. Today Technoblade seems rather talkative, or as talkative as he can get.

Today is the day you are going to ask about the fall of the Dream kingdom.

When you were a child, the Dream kingdom was the most powerful nation in existence. King Dream had built a real international superpower, and your parents had ridden on the coattails of his success due to an alliance that was made before you were even born. Dream had planned on extending his kingdom through each side of the continent and had made countless alliances to get there. His last area to reach out to was the Arctic Empire. However, Technoblade refused to negotiate and started a war. Dream lost bitterly to Technoblade. This loss left your family destitute, as their largest export was no longer available for trade.

That’s why you were here. The fall of the Dream kingdom dug your grave, forced your marriage.

You walk into the kitchen to see Technoblade stirring a pot of soup. He’s so lost in thought that he doesn’t hear you enter.

“Technoblade?” you ask. He turns quickly, almost knocking over the pot sitting on the stove. He laughs sheepishly.

“Sorry. Sometimes I forget I’m not living alone anymore.” You offer a half-smile. “What can I do for ya?” he asks. You take a deep breath.

“Can I… ask you something?” He studies your concerned face as you fidget with your bracelet. He turns off the stove and wipes his hands.

“Sure thing.” It’s now or never. I mean, you have to know if you’re marrying a monster… right?

“Well, I just wanted to know…” your words falter as you try to remember how you worded this when you practiced this morning. “Can you tell me more about your battle… with King Dream?”

Immediately, Technoblade’s face falls. The air grows thick with tension as the anger in his eyes grows. He takes a deep breath. From the way he was breathing, you would think he was in pain. He looks up at you, his eyes somehow both bloodshot and tired.

“What is it you want to know?” You stand there in stunned silence. You didn’t know what to expect, but this reaction was not what you were hoping for. Did he really still carry so much hatred for Dream? You take a feeble stab at uncovering the man’s motives.

“Is it true that you…” you swallow, nervous all of a sudden. He hasn’t taken his eyes off of you. “That you fought him singlehandedly? Until he surrendered?” You see Technoblade tense up at the mention of the duel.

“Yes, I did.” A long silence falls. Your mind is swimming and you’re not sure where to go next. You aren't sure what this new feeling is. It idn't fear; you are no longer afraid of the king. No, it's more like… anger.

The day after he surrendered, Dream had come to your parents for help. They were his only allies left, and he was desperate. You watched as a king, covered in scratches and bruises, cried on his knees, asking for any kind of help. You watched as Sapnap and George fled the country so they wouldn’t get hurt. And you watched as Technoblade destroyed Dream for, what, for fun?

“Why?”

“Well, he was trying to take over my country. I don’t take that sort of thing lightly.” You feel another burst of anger. You can’t hold it back anymore. You’re tired of being a dainty little princess who never stands up for anything, and you’re tired of watching the people you love get destroyed and ripped away from you.

“So what, you destroyed dozens of nations for what, your pride? To make a point?” you yell. Silence falls between the two of you as you both process your sudden outburst. You didn’t know you could yell like that, and apparently neither did Technoblade. You hear the man take a deep shaky breath.

“You don’t know anything about what I had to do to protect my citizens,” he barks.

“Yeah? And you don’t know what we had to do for mine. So clue me in, why don’t you. I am the new queen, so I should at least know before you toss me to the side to destroy whatever’s left of the countries you decimated.” Your voice is filled with venom as you think about ‘The Blood God’ taking the lives of thousands of people only to end the war by attacking the king.

Technoblade explodes.

“You don’t get to come into my house and talk to me like that! You may be the new queen, but this is my kingdom. I invited you here, and I can send you back just as easily. You can’t walk in here and criticize my judgment when you don’t know the first thing about what happened between me and Dream.” You stand there, stunned and insulted. You collect your anger into one particularly venomous sentence.

“This isn’t about just you and Dream, you selfish pig.” Technoblade raises a fist in the air and you scream and duck for cover. You stay crouched on the ground until you hear your name spoken in an angry, twisted voice. You rise from the ground slowly. Technoblade is facing away from you, hunched over the counter.

“Why did you flinch like that?” you hear a smaller, equally twisted voice say. You try to speak, but nothing is coming out.

“Because…” you are able to say. You grab onto the counter to ease your shaking hands. “Maybe you’ll do to me what you did to Dream.” A heavy silence falls, the only sounds in the room being your breath as you try hard not to let out a cry.

“Why did you come here,” he says softly, “if you’re so afraid of me? Why would you make this deal in the first place if you hate me so much?”

“I never wanted to marry you,” you say, spitting hate at the man’s back. “I’m here because I’m forced to be.” You turn on your heel and head to your room. Technoblade stands, unmoving, in the kitchen.

You lay on your bed, balling your sheets in your fist, and let out a scream that could be heard from miles away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! just wanted to let y'all know that i should be updating this story every 4 or so days. as always, hope you enjoyed!


	5. Sing-song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh my god, sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” the man says hurriedly. You tighten the shawl around your body and swallow.
> 
> “W-who are you?” you ask, a mixture of fright and confusion in your voice. The man smiles at you.
> 
> “I’m Philza, the wandering traveler of the Arctic.”

You pick your head up from your tear-stained pillow and sit on your bed, sniffing. You try to sit up and frown as you realize the heel of your shoe is caught in the layers of your dress. You remove the shoe first, then the frock. You decide to change out your nightclothes, as you’re sure you won’t be seeing Technoblade again today.

You shiver. You hadn’t anticipated on the inside of the castle being this freezing as well, and your nightgown isn’t exactly warm. You open your trunk and are met with your cousin’s shawl. You smile and wrap it around your arms. Its familiar scent and pattern are comforting to you. In your emotional state, you can no longer hold back the flood of memories you are faced with each time you put on this shawl.

________________________________________________________________________

“Eleanor?”

“Mhm?” the ginger girl asks distractedly, continuing to pick flowers from the garden. You put down the ribbon you were playing with and turn to your cousin.

“Who are these for again?” She smiles and shakes her head.

“Someone I love,” she says, humming a tune after her answer. You look at her confused.

“But there’s nobody courting you Eleanor!” you exclaim. You sit down on the ground, your arms crossed, huffing. She continues to hum. “Come on, why can’t you tell me?” you plead. “I’m old enough to know! I’m eight years old now, I’m not a baby anymore.” She looks up at me, finished with picking the flowers.

“Let me teach you a song,” she says in a sing-song voice. You roll your eyes. “I think you’ll like it, it holds a secret.” Your eyes light up, knowing that maybe she will reveal something to you in the song. You nod and move to sit on your knees beside her. She begins to sing.

I dreamed it last night  
That my true love came in  
So softly she entered  
Her feet made no din  
She came close beside me  
And this she did say,  
“It will not be long, love  
Till our wedding day.”

You look at her, confused. “That didn’t give anything away, this is just him saying he wants to marry you!” you whine. She shakes her head.

“Listen again.” You listen to her sing once more. “This song isn’t from my love, it’s from me.” You gasp as you realize what she means.

“Does that mean… it’s a she?” you ask tentatively. She nods her head.

“It’s a secret, okay?” she tells you. You see a flash of worry on her face. “The king and queen would not like it if you told them.”

Her voice sounds sad, you think. You nod and promise her you would never say anything.

You do the same when you find her, a couple of months later, packing a bag with her belongings. You think of the screaming you heard the night before and you can’t help but shed a few tears. She crouches down next to you, clothed in the plainclothes the servants would wear. You feel her hand on your arm and look up, trying not to cry and upset her. Her eyes are full of tears too.

“Goodbye, my cousin. You can do anything you set your mind to, understand?” You nod. She pulls you in for a hug and you can’t hold back the tears anymore. She pats your back affectionately and places her shawl on your shoulders. “Don’t you forget it,” she says in a voice full of sorrow and heartache. And just like that, she’s gone.

________________________________________________________________________

You wrap yourself even tighter in your cousin’s shawl and the melody you haven’t dared to sing in years springs to your lips.

I dreamed it last night  
That my true love came in  
So softly she entered  
Her feet made no din  
She came close beside me  
And this she did say,  
“It will not be long, love  
Till our wedding day.”

Your voice cracks at the last line. You feel yourself emphasizing all the “she”s in the song, feeling rebellion grow in your chest as you sing of your long lost dream of love. You take a deep breath.

Why had you bothered to defend your parents? They never would have defended you. Eleanor’s words ring in your ears: “the king and queen would not like it if you told them.” Your eyes fill with tears once more.

“You have a wonderful singing voice.”

You are startled by an unfamiliar voice behind you. You let out a small scream and jump off the bed, turning to face the strange voice. You thought it was only you and Technoblade.

You see a man you don’t recognize standing in your doorway. He’s dressed much like Technoblade but with a large, wing-shaped cloak, and has shaggy blonde hair peeking out of a green and white-striped hat.

“Oh my god, sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” the man says hurriedly. You tighten the shawl around your body and swallow.

“W-who are you?” you ask, a mixture of fright and confusion in your voice. The man smiles at you.

“I’m Philza, the wandering traveler of the Arctic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyy besties so i am still drowning in work and i am still very worried about a lot of things including my health so these are going to keep being slow, bear with me. next time i post a series i'll have more of a backup, but that's neither here nor there. WHO'S EXCITED FOR PHILZA!!!!!
> 
> fun fact: i'm currently building a philza cosplay with 7ft wings :D
> 
> hope y'all are staying chill and safe <3


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